Washboard.



A. A. JONES. WASHBOARD. APPLIUATION FILED AUG. 9. 1911.

Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

WITNESSES vBY ATTORNEY COLUAIIA PLANOCIRAPH 60.. Minimum. D. c.

To all whom it may concern:

UNITED STATES: PATENT OFFIoE.

ANNA A. JONES, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

WASHBOAR-D.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 9, 19 1 1. Serial No. 643,084.

Be it known that I, ANNA A. JONES, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Philadelphia, county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Washboards, of which the following is a specification.

The main objects of this invention are, to provide a simple, durable and sanitary washboard; to provide a wash-board that will be easy to operate and efficient in action and which will reduce to a minimum the wear upon the material being washed ;-to provide in a wash-board an improved splasher, and a rotary and vibratory rubbing surface; and to provide other improvements as will appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation partly in longitudinal section, of a wash-board constructed in accordance with this invention; and Fig. 2 a longitudinal section on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, one embodiment of this invention comprises spaced parallel side posts 1 and an oblong transverse splasher 2 abutting against and rigidly connecting adjacent ends of the side posts. The splasher 2 is preferably curved transversely and has its rear longitudinal edge flush with the rear edges of the side posts 1 and its front longitudinal edge spaced from and overhanging the front edges of the side posts 1. A back board 3, overlaps and is rigidly secured to the rear edge of the splasher 2 and the rear edges of the side post-s 1, and extends as usual over the upper portion only of the space between the side posts 1. The side posts 1 are also held in spaced relationship by means of a transverse bar 4:, parallel to the splasher 2 and spaced slightly above the lower edge of the back board 3, the ends of the bar 4: extending through apertures provided therefor in the side bars 1 and being rigidly secured to the side bars in any suitable manner. This transverse bar 4 also serves as a rest for cakes of soap when the wash-board is in operation. A second transverse bar 5 parallel to and below the first mentioned transverse bar 4, is spaced above the lower ends of the side post 1, a suitable distance, and has its ends extending through and rigidly secured to the side posts in any suitable manner.

The rubbing surface of the wash-board is formed by a plurality of transverse rollers 10, preferably cylindrical in form and of uniform diameter, the ends of which fit loosely in longitudinal grooves 11 provided thereforlongitudinally in the inner sides of the side posts and between the transverse bars 1 and 5. The rollers 10 are free to rotate in the grooves 11 and are also free to be moved through a limited distance longitudinally of the wash-board.

For yieldingly opposing the movement of the rollers 10 longitudinally of the washboard and in a downward direction, there is provided in each side post a spiral spring 12, which engages in a recess provided therefor longitudinally of the side posts and opening upwardly in the lower end of the corresponding longitudinal groove 11 in the inner side of the corresponding side post. This spring has preferably secured to its upper end a cap 13, preferably of rubber or other yielding material, which normally engages against the lower surface of the adjacent end of the lowest one of the rollers 10 and normally'holds the end of the roller slightly above the lower end of the corresponding longitudinal groove 11.

In the operation of this wash-board the material to be washed is rubbed preferably with an easy light motion over the rollers, which are set into rotation and which is the preferred form of this invention, are also caused to vibrate longitudinally of the board by the rubbing action, a pressure downwardly in a longitudinal direction upon the board causing the rollers to move downwardly against the yielding resistance of the springs 12 and their rubber caps 13, and the rollers being forced upwardly by the springs and their caps when the pressure is released. The rotary and vibratory motions of the rollers avoid an excessive wear on the material being washed, by preventingthe sudden and excessive strain to which the material is subjected when a wash-board having a stationary rubbing surface is used. Moreover, in this construction the rollers, through their rotary and vibratory movement act posts, transverse rotary members arranged Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

between said side posts, vibratory longitudi- In Witness whereof, I have hereunto set nally thereoi, yiglding means]O arranged to my hand this 8th day of August, 1911.

engage one 0 sai rotary mem ers to oppose the movement thereof in one direction longi- ANNA JONES 5 tudinally of said side posts, said yielding Witnesses:

means including a spiral spring, and a yield- A. IRWIN GARDNER,

ing cap secured to said spring. ALEXANDER PARK.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

